ABUJA — The Minister of State for Works, Mohammed Goroyo, has said that the Federal Government requires about ₦880 billion annually to adequately maintain the country’s federal road network.
Speaking on Monday at an investigative hearing organised by the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee probing the implementation and remittances of the 5% user charge for road maintenance, Goroyo lamented the persistent funding shortfalls that have crippled the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
“FERMA requires an estimated ₦880 billion annually for optimal road conditions,” he said. “But allocations remain far below this threshold — ₦76.3 billion in 2023, ₦103.3 billion in 2024, and ₦168.9 billion proposed for 2025.”
According to him, this funding gap forces the agency to operate reactively, instead of using a preventive approach. The result, he warned, is clear: deteriorating roads, higher repair costs, and disruptions to commuters and economic activity.
Goroyo argued that the implementation of the 5% user charge on petrol and diesel mandated by the FERMA Act is key to bridging this shortfall.
“A dedicated funding stream would reduce our dependence on yearly appropriations,” he noted. “But so far, FERMA and the Ministry have had no access to these funds.”
FERMA’s Managing Director, Chukwuemeka Abbasi, echoed the concerns. He said the agency had never received any remittance under the user charge since the framework was introduced by the now-defunct Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), which has since been replaced by the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
“Our roads are lifelines of commerce and social integration,” Abbasi said. “Maintenance is not just a policy , it is a national imperative. But the agency is operating under severe financial strain.”
He reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises infrastructure development, but warned that consistent and lawful funding was essential for results.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, who declared the hearing open, said that the March 19 motion that triggered the probe had revealed clear violations of the FERMA Amendment Act, 2007. “We owe Nigerians a duty to investigate this matter fully,” he said.
The Speaker added that the inquiry was grounded in Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution, and aimed at uncovering the extent of non-compliance, the amounts unremitted, and the institutions or individuals responsible.
Committee Chairman, Francis Waive clarified that the investigation is not meant to introduce new levies or amend the law, but to enforce a provision that has been in place since 2007.
“Our task is to correct systemic disobedience to laws already passed by Parliament,” he said. “The House is committed to ensuring total compliance by individuals and agencies alike.”
